2008 Woodie Awards
Bulimic Betty
Lezlie Martinez
Issue date: 9/6/06 Section: Opinion
We've all seen the commercials lately on television. The ones with the cute little kids asking their mothers for diabetes or perhaps an early heart attack. How about the one with the little boy who would eat a little extra here and there and before you know it he developed Type 2 Diabetes.
But what about the other extreme of irresponsible eating habits. How come we never see commercials
featuring Bulimic Betty sticking a
finger down her throat after a night of bingeing at the all-you-can-eat buffet?
Personally, more young adults I know have issues with under eating, bulimia, and the pressure to be thin. Recently, I returned from a
week- long vacation with two of my closest friends. Although I suspected the possibility of both of them having an eating disorder, living with them confirmed my suspicions.
Getting ready to go out at night no longer consisted of simply doing our hair, make-up and finding that perfect outfit. It now consisted of hair, make-up, putting on that perfect outfit and a quick trip to the bathroom to hurl out the moderate meal we ate for dinner.
Each of my friends got ready and then took turns puking their brains out in a matter of seconds. They would then walk out of the bathroom with a smile and grab their purse as if this were a normal routine. I hate to admit that I took part in this routine a couple of times, if only for the sake of not feeling like a sea cow.
As an avid food lover who enjoys not only eating, but digesting my food as well, I had only a slight idea of how to master the art of
self-induced vomiting. After getting helpful advice from my friends such as drink a lot of water right before vomiting and being shown the
proper and most effective position to maneuver around the toilet, I successfully became a part of the club.
I'm sure I'm not the only person out there who has a perfectly in-shape friend who is more than willing to trade a Friday night out with friends for spending hours at the gym because they think they're fat. Or the friend that no longer needs to stick a finger down her throat because she has trained her body to automatically regurgitate her food on command.
But what about the other extreme of irresponsible eating habits. How come we never see commercials
featuring Bulimic Betty sticking a
finger down her throat after a night of bingeing at the all-you-can-eat buffet?
Personally, more young adults I know have issues with under eating, bulimia, and the pressure to be thin. Recently, I returned from a
week- long vacation with two of my closest friends. Although I suspected the possibility of both of them having an eating disorder, living with them confirmed my suspicions.
Getting ready to go out at night no longer consisted of simply doing our hair, make-up and finding that perfect outfit. It now consisted of hair, make-up, putting on that perfect outfit and a quick trip to the bathroom to hurl out the moderate meal we ate for dinner.
Each of my friends got ready and then took turns puking their brains out in a matter of seconds. They would then walk out of the bathroom with a smile and grab their purse as if this were a normal routine. I hate to admit that I took part in this routine a couple of times, if only for the sake of not feeling like a sea cow.
As an avid food lover who enjoys not only eating, but digesting my food as well, I had only a slight idea of how to master the art of
self-induced vomiting. After getting helpful advice from my friends such as drink a lot of water right before vomiting and being shown the
proper and most effective position to maneuver around the toilet, I successfully became a part of the club.
I'm sure I'm not the only person out there who has a perfectly in-shape friend who is more than willing to trade a Friday night out with friends for spending hours at the gym because they think they're fat. Or the friend that no longer needs to stick a finger down her throat because she has trained her body to automatically regurgitate her food on command.
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